Gas Station Owner Laments an Electric Future in Comedic Volkswagen Canada Spot

Volkswagen Canada has unveiled their latest Quebec spot featuring the all-electric ID.4. The spot follows a string of announcements about Volkswagen’s commitment to building an electric future – including their launch of the ID.4 in Canada in 2021, and most recently, the opening of their North American EV plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The spot features a rural gas station owner who hasn’t seen a customer in a while, and shows what happens when the first vehicle to appear in a long time is the all-electric ID.4, driven by Volkswagen’s Quebec-market spokesperson: Pier-Luc Funk. It’s a humorous story that plays off the lyrics of the song Le Pompiste (The Gas Station Attendant) by Jean-Jacques Cramier.

Quebec audiences have always been important to Volkswagen, and it’s a key market in the drive toward electric mobility. “As VW continues to lead the way to sustainable mobility for all, it’s critical that we connect culturally with Quebeckers, to get them excited about an electric future. That’s the core essence of Be the Change, VW’s overarching brand platform,” said Christine Maw, president of Type1.

“It’s an original and refreshing way to talk about the electrification of the brand. We wished to show the two worlds meeting, and the idea presented to us was right on the money,” explains Mark Dicks, retail marketing manager at Volkswagen Canada. 

Developed by agency partner Type1/TAXI, ‘Le Pompiste’ is the latest in a series of original Quebec spots. “[The] cinematic approach gets us to like the gas station attendant automatically. We wanted people to get hooked by the storyline from the very start…” said Philippe Brosseau, copywriter. 

“It’s a welcome return to the tone that Volkswagen is famous for,” said Allen Kwong, group creative director at Type1/TAXI. “We’re thrilled to help create the next chapter for Volkswagen as they build an electric future.”

The spot is currently airing on Quebec TV and in social media.